Interview with Indie Author: Jason Cantrell

Say hello to Indie author Jason Cantrell, who wrote Manifestation (Coming in 2014) and Radiance(short story), both Urban Fantasy

Tell me as much as you can about yourself in only one sentence.

I’m a graduate of Rowan University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Writing Arts with a minor in Communication studies, currently pursuing my Master of Arts in Writing, and author of the upcoming book series Arcana Revived, who also enjoys reading, gaming, movies, and naughty jokes, and who can turn “only one sentence” into infinite length with sufficient use of commas.

Do you have a day job?

Only until the day I work up the nerve to quit and focus purely on my writing full time.

What’s the toughest criticism you ever got?

Someone read an excerpt of my work, lowered the pages, and simply said, “This is awful.”

What’s the biggest compliment you ever got?

I once wrote a poem so disturbing that I received an email from my school’s Counseling and PsychologicalServicesCenterasking me to contact them immediately because they were concerned for my safety.

Life is full of hard choices. Would you rather be a hobbit or an elf?

An elf. I’d rather be gorgeous, magical, and live forever than have a bottomless stomach and hairy feet.

Tell us about your latest or upcoming novel:

Manifestation is an urban fantasy story about the return of magic to a modern world. There are disastrous consequences when powers manifest that no one understands, and no one can control.

Radiance is a short story that serves as a preview of that world and tells the story of how a young girl is granted her powers for the first time.

Share a favorite quote or small excerpt from your latest work.

From Radiance:

The light banished the cold wind as it reached her. It touched her and warmth spread through her, suffusing through every inch of her body. As it entered her body she felt a divine awakening. It filled her with an assurance from within that this was something good and pure, something brought into this world by hope and faith. It was an omen, and she felt it penetrate her, filling her with heat and energy until she felt ready to burst.

Then the clouds broke, and a glittering snow began to fall. Carried on luminous wings, the flakes drifted to the ground with grace beyond nature. They sparkled in the sky, each frozen crystal glowing from within with a power not of this world.

What does your favorite protagonist think about you?

Gabby: “He’s horrible! You wouldn’t believe the things he’s put me through! And he doesn’t care how much it hurts or how much I want my life back, as long as it serves his almighty plot.”

E-reader, print book, audiobook, or a combination?

I still read print books almost exclusively. I have issues with e-readers due to how all my other electronic devices (cell phone, portable gaming devices, etc) run out of battery power when I’m in the middle of something, and how they become obsolete after a few years and need to be upgraded (which also leads to me losing access to my old apps/games). A print book needs no battery and will never be obsolete.

What do you do when you aren’t writing?

I eat, I sleep, I go to work, and in between I write. It’s pretty much all I do. If you find me on twitter, I’m complaining about how I should be writing.

Do you stick to one genre or switch it up?

I mostly write fantasy, but I’ve dabbled in Sci Fi. I have a draft of a time travel novel that I wrote years ago but never got around to revising or turning into a worthwhile story.

Pantsed or outlined? How do you tackle a new story?

I’m a big pantser. I usually have one or two big goals in mind in a story, and know those events are what I’m working towards, but I have no idea how to get to them. This might lead to me starting at Point A and knowing what Point G and Point M are going to be, with no clue how to fill in the letter in between.

Tell us about your cover art: Who designed it? How did you choose a direction for it?

The cover for Radiance was designed by an indie artist named Ravven. We collaborated on every stage of the production; she suggested ideas and I picked what I liked best, then she provided some mock-ups for me to choose between, then a variety of fonts for me to pick from, and so on. I loved working with her because of her talent, professionalism, and creative ideas, and I plan to hire her for Manifestation as well.

Predict the future: Yours or mine, I’m flexible.

I predict that you will post this interview on your blog.

Aliens have conquered Earth and are forcing you to give up either reading or writing. What’s it going to be?

I’d give up reading and then write a manifesto that the rest of the world can read, with instructions on how to form rebel groups and start an uprising to overthrow our alien overlords. Then once the rebellion is over I’ll catch up on the reading I missed out on.

I can tell you’re hiding something interesting from me. Fess up now, and I’ll go easy on you:

Fine. You caught me. I confess. I like to wear women’s clothing. Happy now?

Why do you write?

Why not?

Thanks, Jason, for a fun interview, and I applaud your psychic abilities!

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B.A.Wilson

B.A. Wilson lives in Missouri and works as a Public Library Services Consultant. She has 4 library cards, fosters a serious One-Click addiction, and is cultivating a new infatuation with all things Audible. At any given moment, she is most likely reading 5 different novels, in at least 3 different formats.
Wilson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music & Tourism, and received a Masters of Science in Library Science and Information Services. This delightful combination of degrees qualified her to spend most of the past decade dissecting love triangles with library patrons and discussing the post-apocalypse with middle school kids, while mentally soundtracking her favorite novels.
Wilson enjoys reading and writing YA novels, consuming caffeinated beverages, and spending too much time on Twitter and Instagram.